Mariners’ Dan Wilson Stands by Early Removal of Luis Castillo
Luis Castillo, a three-time All-Star, likely expected to pitch at least three full innings — but the Mariners had other plans during Thursday’s ALCS game.
After leaving George Kirby in too long the night before — a move that allowed six earned runs in the third inning — Mariners manager Dan Wilson made the opposite call with Castillo. With one out in the third and already two runs across, Wilson went to the bullpen early, summoning Gabe Speier.
The result was mixed: Speier walked in a run with the bases loaded but then struck out two batters to escape further damage. However, he allowed two more runs in the fourth, and Seattle eventually lost 8-2.
Wilson Explains the Decision
Pulling a decorated pitcher like Castillo so early is never easy — especially in the postseason. Wilson acknowledged the difficulty of the move, noting that while Castillo hasn’t been at his best lately, the call was about playing the odds against a dangerous Toronto lineup.
“I just let him know we were going to go to Gabe in that spot,” Wilson told Josh Kirshenbaum of MLB.com. “It was a tough call, and a tough one to explain to him. But it was the route we chose — just making sure he knew.”
Wilson pointed to Toronto’s powerful offense as the main factor. The Blue Jays have been one of the most explosive lineups all year and have caught fire again in the ALCS.
“We’re very aware of how quickly they can strike,” Wilson said. “It felt like the right time to be aggressive, and Gabe was ready, so we made the move.”
Now, with Game 5 looming on Friday and Seattle’s bullpen having logged heavy innings, it remains to be seen whether pulling Castillo early could come back to haunt them.
No Comment! Be the first one.